Jerry Brown

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Anti-gay, anti-trans hate groups have failed in their attempt to place a referendum on the November ballot with the goal of overturning California's trailblazing law that protect transgender students from discrimination.

SACRAMENTO -- Assembly Bill 1121, authored by Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), was signed into law by Governor Brown on Tuesday. The bill provides transgender people seeking legal name changes to reflect their gender identity with a streamlined and inexpensive process that protects their privacy.

SACRAMENTO -- A bill by Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins to allow the California Horse Racing Board to reallocate racing dates currently held by Hollywood Park Race Track, which is closing at the end of its 2013 winter season, has been signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The bill permits these dates to be distributed to the remaining Southern California tracks, most notably Santa Anita and Del Mar Racetracks. AB 1074 also renews for one year the statewide marketing organization administered by the horseracing industry.

SAN DIEGO -- Gov. Jerry Brown announced Monday he has signed legislation requiring California drivers to stay at least 3 feet away when passing bicyclists.

The proposal from Assemblyman Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, is intended to better protect cyclists from aggressive drivers. It states that if drivers cannot leave 3 feet of space, they must slow down and pass only when it would not endanger the cyclist's safety.

The law will go into effect Sept. 16, 2014. Current law requires a driver to keep a safe distance when passing a bicyclist but does not specify how far that is.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown today signed the historic School Success and Opportunity Act into law, ensuring transgender youth have the opportunity to fully participate and succeed in schools across the state.

Assembly Bill 1266, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014, was authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and passed the California State Senate and Assembly earlier this summer.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California State Senate late Wednesday passed the School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266), sending the bill that ensures transgender students have the opportunity to succeed in school to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature.

Authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, the bill passed the Senate with a 21-9 vote (unofficial). The bill passed the California State Assembly last month with 46-25 vote.

Our nation was founded on the principle of equal rights for all people, but the fulfillment of this promise has been long in coming for many Americans. Some of the most inspiring moments in our history have arisen from the various civil rights movements that have brought one group after another from the margins to the mainstream of American society.

SAN FRANCISCO – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today will hear the challenge to California’s law that bans “ex-gay therapy” for minors.

Senate Bill 1172 was signed into law last fall by Gov. Jerry Brown, who praised the measure for protecting LGBT young people from dangerous practices called conversion therapy and reparative therapy. The therapy uses shame, verbal abuse and same-sex aversion techniques, and the success rate is considered nil.